Bottle cap and liner



966 D. c. SCOTT BOTTLE CAP AND LINER Filed Oct- 9. 1963 FIG. 3

8 w m q T.\ VA 4 m 2. m T K x fi M w, z 0 m 4 fix INVENTOR. DOUGLAS C. SCOTT ATTORNEYS States Patent ()fiice 3,2633% Patented August 2, Eg s 3,263,850 BGTTLE CAP AND LINER I Douglas C. Scott, West Hartford, onn., assignor to Scott Plastics Corporation, Hartford, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed (let. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 314,986 4 (Ilaims. (Cl. 215-56) The present invention relates .to closures for containers and the like and more particularly to new and improved lined closure assemblies for covering and sealing the mouth of a container.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved closure assembly which prevents the development of a pressure differential between the surrounding atmosphere and the inside of the container while at the same time providing a secure and effective seal for the container against leakage of the contents thereof.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved cap and liner assembly which not only prevents leakage of the contents thereof but also permits the free-flow of air both into and out of the container without in any manner altering the external appearance of the assembly.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved closure particularly suited for use with plastic bottles and the like, which closure facilitates the equalization of any pressure differential created within such bottles due to the nature of the contents thereof and thereby prevents either the expansion or collapse of the sides of such bottles.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a combination cap and sealing liner which particularly prevents the build-up within the container of a vacuum with respect to the surrounding atmosphere and utilizes low-cost and easily obtainable materials thereby permitting manufacture thereof without substantially increasing the time or expense in manufacturing such closure members.

ther objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out more in detail hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereafter set forth, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 shows an exploded isometric view of the cap and liner assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view, partially in section, showing the cap and liner in assembled relationship on the neck of a container; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the cap and liner of the present invention in assembled relationship.

Referring now to the invention in greater detail and more particularly to the figures of the drawing, there is shown a closure assembly, generally designated 10, consisting of a container cap 12 and a circular liner 14 seated within said cap at the top end thereof. For simplicity and brevity of description the closure assembly 10 will be described with regard to a circular, internally threaded, cup-shaped cap adapted to enclose the externally threaded neck of a collapsible container, such as a plastic bottle. However, it will be appreciated that any configuration or form of cap or closure which utilizes a liner for sealing the mouth of a container is within the scope of the present invention.

The cup-shaped cap 12 consists of a generally fiat circular top cover portion 16 and an annular skirt portion 18 integral with and depending from the top cover portion 16. Located on the inner surface of the annular skirt 18 is a spiral screw-type thread 20 which, as shown in FIG. 2, cooperates with complementary threads 22 provided externally on the neck 24- of a plastic bottle 26. Upon fully tightening the closure assembly 10 to the bottle 26 a seal is effected between the circular liner l4 and the rim 28 of the bottle neck 24, thus preventing the outward flow of the contents of the bottle when the bottle is either inverted or reclined on its side.

In assembled relationship, the circular liner 14 is nested or seated in the circular recess 30 of cover portion 16 which constitutes a substantial portion of the inner surface of the cover portion of cap 12. As best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the liner 14 comprises a pair of porous gaskets 32 and 34 which are preferably adhered within recess 30 of cover portion 16. The gasket 32, 34 may be made of conventional air permeable material used for container cap liners although pulpboard having a thickness of about twenty thousandths of an inch is preferred due to its low cost. Gasket 32 which abuts the inner surface of the cover portion 16 possesses, as best shown in FIG. 1, two peripheral slots 36, both of which are located substantially within a single semicircle of the disclike gasket member 32. The number and size of slots 36 may vary depending upon the size of the cap and the opening within the neck of the bottle 26. However, the slots 36 should be of sufificient length sothat a portion thereof falls within the rim 28 of the neck 24. Slots 36 permit the upward yielding of gasket 34- to any internal positive pressure built up within the bottle 26 thus permitting the release of such excess pressure to the atmosphere. However, it is preferred that when two slots are utilized they be off-set from the diameter of the disc passing through both the slots thereby permitting an earlier release of and a reduction in the amount of positive pressure build-up within the container.

Abutting internal gasket 32 is the second disclike gasket member 34 possessing on one surface thereof a thin layer 38 of vinyl plastic material, such as vinylite, which is substantially impermeable to both liquid and air and which, as mentioned above, cooperates with the rim 28 of bottle 26 to provide a tight seal when the closure assembly 10 is securely fastened to the bottle. In practice a layer having a thickness of about five thousandths of an inch has been found to be quite satisfactory. In assembled relationship the gasket 34 is positioned so that the layer 38 faces outwardly toward the open end of th cup-shaped cap 12, as shown in FIG. 3.

With the substantially increased use of plastic bottles for temporarily storing materials such as turpentine, there has arisen the need for cap and container constructions which will permit the free venting of the container both inwardly and outwardly while at the same time preventing leakage of the contents thereof. The need results primarily from the fact that the vapors of such materials tend to slowly diffuse through the walls of plastic containers causing a vacuum .vvithin the bottles I which, in turn, results in a collapse of the walls of such bottles and a danger to the user upon opening.

According to the present invention layer '38 is constructed so that it acts in a manner similar to a selectively permeable membrane or valve which restricts the flow of a first material while permitting a second material to flow uninhibited in both directions through the layer 38. Such selectivity is effected according to the present invention by means of a layer 38 which is provided with a plurality of small apertures or pin holes 40 randomly located therein. As best shown in FIG. 3, the pin holes 40 provide directly communicating passages only be tween the inside of the container and the porous gasket or barrier material, but do not extend suificiently so as to directly communicate with the atmosphere surrounding the container. Further, the holes 40 are of insufficient size to permit the passage therethrough of the contents of the container. The size of individual holes within any single liner may vary, if desired; however, it is necessary that there be a plurality of such holes and that they prohibit the passage of substantial quantities of the material within the container. Satisfactory results have been obtained with holes varying in size from about five ten thousandths of an inch to about thirty thousandths of an inch while the preferably size of such holes is from 0.002 through 0015 of an inch, with the average hole size being about 0.005 of an inch. Although FIG. 3 shows the holes to be of substantially the same size within the individual cap liner, it is an advantage of the present invention that the sizes may vary within the above-stated ranges within any individual liner. For example, when no pin holes were provided in layer 38, it was found that securely capped plastic bottles, one-half filled with turpentine, collapsed Within two days. Also the use of liners possessing only one such hole resulted in a collapse of the bottle within seven days. However, those bottles which were sealed with caps possessing at least two pin holes ranging in size from 0.002 to 0.015 of an inch either centrally or randomly located, retained their shape for a period greater than nine months.

As will be readily apparent from the foregoing, the present invention provides a simple and economical cap and liner construction which permits the safe storage of materials which otherwise would create a vacuum within one container. Additionally, it eliminates the differential pressure drop between the inside and outside of the container without altering the external appearance of the enclosure and at the same time provides an effective and secure seal against leakage of the contents of the container.

4 As will be apparent to persons skilled in the art, various modifications and adaptations of the structure above described will become readily apparent without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims.

I claim.

1. A closure member for covering the mouth of a container having a neck, which member permits the passage of air both into and out of the container while preventing the outward flow of the contents of the container, said member consisting of a cup-shaped cap and a generally circular liner nested in the top of said cap, said cap having a cover portion and an annular skirt portion depending therefrom and integral therewith, means for detachably connecting said cap to said neck, said circular liner abutting the inner surface of said cover portion and comprising a first disclike gasket having a pair of slots located substantially within a semicircle of said gasket and having their inner ends disposed inwardly of the inner periphery of said neck, a second disclike porous gasket, and a layer of liquid and air impermeable material located on the surface of said second gasket towards the interior of said container, said layer and second gasket having therein a plurality of small punctures which extend from the interior of said container completely through said layer and only partially through said second gasket so as to communicate directly only with the inside of said container and said disclike gasket members, said first gasket being located between said second gasket and the inner surface of said cover portion, said slots permitting yielding of said second gasket in response to excess pressure in said container so as to permit outward release of such excess pressure between said layer and the rim of said neck, and the spaces within the slot portions inward of said neck facilitating inward diffusion of air through said liner by shortening the passage through said liner over which the material of said liner offers resistance to the flow of said air.

2. A closure member for covering the mouth of a container having an externally threaded neck, which member permits the passage of air both into and out of the container while preventing the outward flow of the contents of the container, said member consisting of a cupshaped plastic cap and a generally circular liner nested in the top of said cap, said cap having a flat top cover portion and an annular skirt portion depending therefrom and integral therewith, said skirt having an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the neck of said container and a screw thread located on the inner surface thereof and being complementary to the external threads located on said neck, said circular liner covering substantially all of the inner surface of said cover portion and comprising a first disclike gasket having at least one peripheral slot having its inner end disposed inwardly of the inner periphery of said neck, a second disclike gasket, and a layer of liquid and air impermeable material located on the surface of said second gasket towards the interior of said container, said layer and said second gasket having therein a plurality of pin holes, said pin holes extending completely through said layer and only partially through said second gasket, said first gasket abutting said second gasket and being located between said second gasket and the inner surface of said cover portion said slot permitting yielding of said second gasket in response to excess pressure in said container so as to permit outward release of such excess pressure bet-ween said layer and the rim of said neck, and the space within the slot portion inward of said neck facilitating diffusion of air through said liner by shortening the passage through said liner over which the material of said liner offers resistance to the flow of said air.

3. A closure member for covering the mouth of a container having an externally threaded neck, which member permits the free passage of air both into and out of the container While preventing the outward flow of the contents of the container, said member consisting of a cup-shaped cap of hard plastic and a generally circular liner nested in the top of said cap, said cap having a flat top cover portion and an annular skirt portion depending therefrom and integral therewith, said skirt having an inner diameter greater than the outer diameter of the neck of said container and a screw thread located on the inner surface thereof complementary to the external threads located on said neck, said circular liner covering substantially all of the inner surface of said cover portion and comprising a first pulpboard disclike gasket having a pair of peripheral slots located substantially within a semicircle of said gasket and with their inner ends disposed inwardly of the inner periphery of said neck and a second pulpboard disclike gasket having a layer of vinyl plastic material adhered to the outward-1y facing surface thereof, said second gasket having therein a plurality of pin holes of insufficient size to permit the passage therethrough of the contents of said container, said pin holes extending completely through said layer and only partially through said second gasket, said first gasket abutting the inwardly facing surface of said second gasket and being located between said second gasket and the inner surface of said cover portion, said slots permitting yielding of said second gasket in response to excess pressure in said container so as to permit outward release of such excess pressure between said layer and the rim of said neck, and the spaces Within the slot portions inward of said neck facilitating inward diifusion of air through said liner over which the material of said liner offers resistance to the flow of said air.

4. A closure member as set forth in claim 3 wherein the gaskets have a thickness of about twenty thousands 6 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,005,349 6/1935 Raney 215-56 2,602,559 7/1952 Dryer 215-56 2,866,570 12/1958 Powell 21556 3,059,800 10/1962 Mills et al 215-56 JOSEPH R. LECLAIR, Primary Examiner.

of an inch and the pin holes range in size from 0.002 10 FRANKLIN GARRETT, Examiner- 0.015 of an inch.

R. P. SHOCK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CLOSURE MEMBER FOR COVERING THE MOUTH OF A CONTAINER HAVING A NECK, WHICH MEMBER PERMITS THE PASSAGE OF AIR BOTH INTO AND OUT OF THE CONTAINER WHILE PREVENTING THE OUTWARD FLOW OF THE CONTENTS OF THE CONTAINER, SAID MEMBER CONSISTING OF A CUP-SHAPED CAP AND A GENERALLY CIRCULAR LINER NESTED IN THE TOP OF SAID CAP, SAID CAP HAVING A COVER PORTION AND AN ANNULAR SKIRT PORTION DEPENDING THEREFROM AND INTEGRAL THEREWITH, MEANS FOR DETACHABLY CONNECTING SAID CAP TO SAID NECK, SAID CIRCULAR LINER ABUTTING THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID COVER PORTION AND COMPRISING A FIRST DISCLIKE GASKET HAVING A PAIR OF SLOTS LOCATED SUBSTANTIALLY WITHIN A SEMICIRCLE OF SAID GASKET AND HAVING THEIR INNER ENDS DISPOSED INWARDLY OF THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID NECK, A SECOND DISCLIKE POROUS GASKET, AND A LAYER OF LIQUID AND AIR IMPERMEABLE MATERIAL LOCATED ON THE SURFACE OF SAID SECOND GASKET TOWARDS THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER, SAID LAYER AND SECOND GASKET HAVING THEREIN A PLURALITY OF SMALL PUNCTURES WHICH EXTEND FROM THE INTERIOR OF SAID CONTAINER COMPLETELY THROUGH SAID LAYER AND ONLY PARTIALLY THROUGH SAID SECOND GASKET SO AS TO COMMUNICATE DIRECTLY ONLY WITH THE INSIDE OF SAID CONTAINER AND SAID DISCLIKE GASKET MEMBERS, SAID FIRST GASKET BEING LOCATED BETWEEN SAID SECOND GASKET AND THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID COVER PORTION, SAID SLOTS PERMITTING YIELDING OF SAID SECOND GASKET IN RESPONSE TO EXCESS PRESSURE IN SAID CONTAINER SO AS TO PERMIT OUTWARD RELEASE OF SUCH EXCESS PRESSURE BETWEEN SAID LAYER AND THE RIM OF SAID NECK, AND THE SPACES WITHIN THE SLOT PORTIONS INWARD OF SAID NECK FACILITATING INWARD DIFFUSION OF AIR THROUGH SAID LINER BY SHORTENING THE PASSAGE THROUGH SAID LINER OVER WHICH THE MATERIAL OF SAID LINER OFFERS RESISTANCE THE FLOW OF SAID AIR. 